What do I have here?

[rpduc]

More noobie questions...

'05 MC 250. I'm about 190-195 lbs. I'm trying to get this thing to deliver less of a beating in tight nasty stuff.

The numbers on my Ohlins Rear shock spring are xxxxxx? 12-56, L 344

I assume the 56 is the number that would correspond to the 52 nm spring that is supposedly stock on the EC?

What does the L 344 signify?

[gasgasman]

Probably length.

My MC was beating me up pretty bad.
I had to go way soft on the springs and LT-Racing worked some magic on the valving.
The ride is a dream now. Took me a year to get it sorted.
That's because I'd rather ride than mess with suspension clickers.

[rpduc]

That's because I'd rather ride than mess with suspension clickers.

I hear that, but I'm too old to be beat up that bad on a regular basis. I'd like to squeeze the rest of the season out of the clickers and maybe different springs and then send both ends to Les this winter... If I had my act together I'd have just sent these things off months ago when I couldn't seem to find time to ride. Now I wanna ride and my new to me bike is beating up on me...

Does your 07 have a Sachs rear or Ohlins?

Any idea if that 56 is stock for the 05 MC? Most talk around here seems to be 52 or maybe 54 springs, but most talk is also EC oriented.

I saw one post where the guy said the "L" number on his spring was like 264? Might the MC be different?

I did some more searching around and found info contrary to what I would have thought. Assuming proper race sag the excessive free or static sag I see on this thing is caused by too stiff a spring which makes sense if this is a 56nm spring. I guess not enough preload in that scenario?

And another question. Are the fork springs marked? I have no idea if these are the stock springs or if the previous owner changed them out. I don't remember seeing any markings when I changed the fluids, but I wasn't really looking either.

[GMP]

Ross,

GGman's '07 like mine has a Sachs shock/spring.

Like you said the best thing to do would be to have both ends sprung, valved and serviced. For now though, I'd go to a 54 in the rear. Fork springs are not usually marked, especially the stock springs. I would guess they are stiff as well to balance the 56 shock spring that was in the bike. .44s should be good with only a few mm preload. If you don't respring the fork with the shock it will probably be out of balance and steer like crap.

Are those the 50mm Zokes or do I remember you swapping for 45s from another bike?

[rpduc]

No, my buddy took the '04 DE with the 45mm Zokes.

The '03 has WP43mm forks so I stuck with the 50mm. Les assured me he can make me happy with them, I've just been too busy to deal with it. Not nearly enough riding either...

The '03 has a 52 on it and the shock was set up by Factory Connection. I might just throw that on the MC and see how it behaves.

If you don't respring the fork with the shock it will probably be out of balance and steer like crap.

Well the tires don't stay in contact with the ground long enough now to steer anyway so steering like crap might be an improvement...

What do you want for that 54 spring?

[GMP]

Ross,

Sent you a PM.

For the forks, maybe ask Les if he can set you up with springs until you can send them out for the full monty. At least the rates wil be good then and any issues will be valving related.